The Ancient Roman Way of Life

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The Roman way of life is different and similar to modern day. Though one may not know much over the Roman’s the culture is fascinating and still remembered in history. The clothes, food, customs, and leisure are major in Roman lifestyle.
During the ancient Roman time period, clothing was crucial in citizens’ status of either emperor, wealthy, middle class, poor, or slave. The emperor would have worn the toga trabea, which was, “formal differences in togas which denoted social rank” (Roman Dress). The emperor himself would wear a toga with a purple stripe to show his status. As emperor, he would also wear the latus clavus, tunica palmata, and the toga palmata. For wealthy citizens, “It was simply deemed improper for such a Roman citizen of note (wealth) to be seen in public without his toga” (Roman Dress). The wealthy class had so much money that the style toga they wore was from the best material and richly embroidered. Since politicians were wealthy they would run for office so they would whiten the toga with chalk in order to stand out. This is why some are known as candidates or ‘the white ones’. As middle class, “anyone who did not want to be seen as a slave or a workman in Rome had to be seen in a toga” (Roman Dress). The middle class had more money so they were able to buy nice togas and tunics that promoted them as middle class citizens. These people would normally wear the toga vivilis, toga pura or toga libera. Basically, “the toga was a large blanket, draped over the body, leaving one arm free” (Roman Dress). Because only citizens of Rome were able to wear the toga, the poor were the lowest class to wear them. The poor class may have been able to wear the toga but the material was not as white and of cheap wool. “For sl...

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...ture and lifestyle has shaped today’s history whether one would recognize it or not.

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